Beading Tutorial: Mushrooms

Mushroom trim on a belt.

In case you were not aware, I have been making up the names for these Bellydance beading tutorials. Mushrooms are actually Rope Sandwiches with only one sequin. I call them Mushrooms because it helps you remember what order to load your beads onto the needle and because the shape of a faceted sequin looks like a button mushroom when placed on top. Mushroom is also easier to say than "half of a Rope Sandwich." I guess it could also be called an umbrella or a lollipop but mushroom stuck so I'm going with it.

Please be familiar with the Rope Sandwiches tutorial before you begin.

You will need:

• Beading thread
• Beading needles
• Scissors
• Sequins
• Rocaille or seed beads
• Tray/lid (to hold your beads)
• Thimble (for pushing needle through thick layers of fabric, optional)

First, thread and knot your needle. Pull it through your material where you would like to place the first Mushroom. Load a on your desired amount of beads and top with a sequin facing down. This is your Mushroom - essentially half a Rope Sandwich.

Slide the Mushroom down against the fabric and insert the needle under the loose sequin. For the example in this photo I used the same staggering pattern from the Rope Sandwich tutorial. Just like with Rope Sandwiches, Mushrooms can be staggered, stacked, twisted, or used alone.

Here are some examples of Mushrooms:

An overlapping Mushroom line next to a line of Fish Scales.

This necklace has straps filled with Sandwiches, the jewel is outlined with Ropes and Mushrooms, and everything is edged with Rope trim. 

Here is the same necklace made with Sandwiches and Mushrooms. In both cases seed beads where substituted for sequins and bugle beads where substituted for the rocaille beads.

Another view of seed bead Mushrooms with bugle bead steams

Try changing up your bead types and placement for more versatility in your designs. Think about how different a costume could look by changing out just one of the beads for something else. You can have many costumes all with the same design but each look completely different by using one different type of bead. Remember the sky is the limit.

Have fun and good luck!

~N

P.S. It seems the overlying theme of my beading tutorial names is food.